Chapter Twenty-Three Travis
Chapter Twenty-Three
Travis
Over the next few days, I gradually make room for Sage in my life.
I’ve come to the realization that no matter how hard I try to scare her away, she won’t leave.
Not even my body count fazed her too much, and if I can’t get rid of her, I have to keep her close.
Maintaining my former schedule would be impossible with her constantly hanging around, so I had to make adjustments. I cringe at the word.
As painful as it is to admit, it’s not as bad as I thought it would be.
Sage is more energetic than I am, and she talks almost nonstop, but I’ve learned to tune her out most of the time.
Her voice is like white noise to me now.
Plus, she is very interested in the planning process for everything I’m going to do to Eli.
He keeps messaging her, still not telling her he’s in Lake Lure. I’ve been watching him, though. Not physically, but digitally. I’ve managed to track his phone to see where he goes and what he does, all thanks to his need to speak to Sage.
She is in the living room with her feet kicked up on the couch and a paperback book in her hands when I find her. “What did I say about putting your feet on the furniture?”
She sits up and makes a show of planting her feet on the carpet as she smiles. “Won’t happen again.”
“Get dressed. We’re going to pay a visit to the motel our friend is staying at,” I say before walking back to my bedroom and riffling through my drawers for appropriate attire. I hear her moving around the cabin and know she’s obeying.
Because we’re not actually killing Eli tonight, we can’t wear anything suspicious. We have to blend in and go unnoticed as we approach the hotel to spy on him. If he sees me and Sage in the car together, then it’s going to raise some red flags. I can’t have that.
Kevin slipped out of my fingers because of Sage, and I won’t let this kill go. Every hour I go without gratification is torture, and I desperately need to quench this thirst.
Soon enough I’ll be able to fully relax, at least for a time. Then I’ll delve into finding my next victim and begin this whole ritual all over again. Now that Sage knows about my proclivities, she won’t be able to hinder me anymore.
She’s waiting for me in the living room when I finish getting dressed, and I sigh, taking in the clothes she chose.
“What?” she asks, looking down at herself.
She’s wearing a pair of denim shorts cut extra short and a vintage oversize Harley-Davidson T-shirt that is tied in the back to fit her.
“People are going to be looking at you,” I say, shaking my head.
The idea makes my blood boil, and I try to fight against the feeling.
It’s no use. The idea of another man looking at her—and God forbid, touching her—is infuriating.
“Let’s just go. We’re staying in the car, anyway.
And I’m going to need you to put a hat on—your hair is visible a mile away. ”
“Okay, rude,” Sage jokes as she grabs a baseball cap from her bag and puts it on. She follows me out the door and climbs into the passenger seat of my car, putting her seat belt on without prompting. “So what are we doing, anyway? I thought we were waiting to kill him.”
“First of all, we are not killing him.” I pause to adjust the mirrors on the car, ensuring I have clear visuals of everything around me.
“And all we’re doing is making sure he’s staying where we think he is.
I haven’t actually been able to get eyes on him, so I have to make sure he’s alone.
I can’t afford any unexpected hang-ups.”
Sage turns on the radio as we’re driving and starts singing along to some sugary pop song that grates on my nerves.
I have a choice. I can either turn off the radio and drive in silence, and Sage will drone on and on about something I don’t care about, or I can leave the music on.
With the music on, I can at least think without distraction.
Another song comes on, and Sage starts babbling about fruit trees and bees. I slowly increase the volume of the music using my steering wheel controls.
We make it to the Lodge, where I believe Eli is staying, and look around the parking lot for any sign of him. Sage lowers herself in her seat, leaning back incredibly conspicuously. I roll my eyes but don’t say anything.
After a few minutes of driving around, I park the car at the end of the lot so we can keep a close eye on every other car we see.
“Maybe I can try to lure him out of his room?” she offers.
“No, if he sees you, that might be strange. We can’t have him thinking anything could go wrong while he’s here.”
My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I pull it out, seeing a text message from Peter on the screen. Heads up, it’s likely someone is tailing you right now. Be careful. I’m looking into it.
Fuck.
I’ve gone this long without being caught, and whoever it is who’s following me—the same person looking into Amelia—they’re going to throw a wrench in this whole plan. I grip my phone and see my knuckles turn white as I get lost in thought.
“What’s wrong?” Sage asks, sitting upright and staring at me with concern.
I look at her while trying to hold back my anger.
If I’m being tailed, in the parking lot of the hotel my next victim is staying at, it’s because of her.
If this is going to lead to my downfall, it’s all her fault.
I’m going against my routine because of her.
I’m looking into Eli because of her. I’m in this car right now, woefully unprepared for my next kill, all because of her.
I don’t answer right away, and I look around the parking lot for any sign of John Doe’s car. I remember the license plate number, but I don’t see it anywhere. Of course, if this guy has any sense, he will have returned that rental car and gotten a new one.
“Talk to me,” Sage urges. She squeezes my arm, and I yank it away.
“Someone’s following us.”
She immediately turns around, not being subtle in the slightest as she looks for whomever it is.
“Will you stop that? It’s already bad enough that somebody might have seen us driving around the parking lot. If Eli comes up missing, this will be his last known location, and I’ll have been seen here.”
She sinks back in the seat and lets out a slow exhale. She turns to me with a half smile on her lips and her eyebrows raised. “What’s there to worry about? It’s not like you’re here to kill anyone.”
I know it’s a joke. The look on her face tells me as much. But even knowing that, it doesn’t make it any less annoying.
“Is this just a game to you?” I shout, slamming my hands against the steering wheel. “This is real for me. I don’t take any of this lightly, and I need you to take it seriously.”
Sage stiffens in her seat beside me as I watch her, feeling the fury in my veins. She’s not afraid of me, but she seems shocked I would yell like this.
“Okay, then we give a valid reason for being here.” Instead of cowering away from me, she’s trying to help me cover for this mistake.
I almost feel bad for lashing out. “Maybe we can rent a room. If anyone asks, we can say a breaker went out at the cabin, and we booked a room for the night because the hardware store was closed.”
I take a deep breath and grip the steering wheel between my hands. She’s right. I rack my brain trying to think of another plan, but the one she is suggesting is solid.
Never in my life have I met someone who’s been able to calm me down when I feel like this. I’m amazed at how Sage is able to get through to me. Maybe having her around isn’t so bad.
“Let’s do it,” I say after a moment, and I pull the keys from the car. We hop out and start walking toward the entrance of the motel to book a room for the night.
Sage stares up at me like a kicked puppy, but I try to ignore her.
“Maybe we can even have a little fun while we’re here.” She pokes my arm and crawls her fingers up to my shoulder in an attempt to seduce me. “Perhaps a little bit of role-play. I’ll be the French maid who walks in looking for a big tip and—”
“I can’t think about this right now.” I shake my head and push her hand aside. I continue walking to the entrance of the motel, but she stops. I turn around and look at her expectantly, waiting for her to just give up and follow me.
A group of people walk out of the motel lobby, and I hear their tipsy laughter as they chat among each other. I don’t turn around to look at them right away, but I see Sage’s eyes flitting over my shoulder at them.
“Oh, mami!” a man’s voice calls in our direction. “Those shorts look good on you. Come over here and let us take a better look.”
The other guys all laugh, high-fiving each other as they stare at Sage. This is great. Now we have witnesses.
“Maybe I should go over there and talk to them. At least they seem to want my company,” Sage says, crossing her arms as she stares at me.
I look over my shoulder at the group of guys, seeing how they’re licking their lips and letting their eyes crawl all over her body. Jealousy taints my blood. I feel it slither from my chest and spread to my fingertips as I clench my fists. I look back at Sage with a hardened expression on my face.
“You’re mine.” I reach out and pull her into my arms, holding her close to me.
My lips crash against hers before she can say another word.
The guys behind us all boo at the scene, mumbling to themselves how lucky I am.
I ignore them as her lips part to let my tongue fill her mouth.
I pull away after a moment, seeing the satisfied look on her face.
“I’ll kill anyone who even threatens to put a hand on you. ”
I’m serious, and Sage knows it as well as I do. It puts a smile on her face, and she grabs my hand to walk toward the entrance. I wish I could know what was going on in her mind, but seeing how pleased she is by the idea of me killing for her, I know I’ll never fully understand this woman.